All things fun in South London

Japanese Okonomiyaki at Okan, Brixton Village

Among the dirty burgers, brunches and overpriced gift shops lies this little gem which we nearly overlooked, it’s so small. Okonomiyaki (try saying it when you’re drunk. Or indeed, when you’re sober) is a Japanese savourt pancake using egg as its base. Fillings can include meat, fish and noodles to really pad it out, topped with their version of brown sauce and mayonnaise, and sprinkled with bonito fish flakes. We’re painting quite a picture but this freshly cooked dish is delicious. We were first introduced to it in Kyoto and it’s the first time we’ve seen it anywhere in the UK (if you know anywhere else that sells it then leave a comment below, we’d love to hear about it). If it really isn’t your cup of matcha, they also serve soba and udon noodles – we had the pork soba noodles and one portion is plentiful. There’s about 12 seats inside and 8 outside this tiny establishment, so be prepared to queue (as with most Brixton Village outlets, to be fair). Our visit was swift but thoroughly satisfying. Okan, Unit 39 Brixton Village, SW9 8PR